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Sign up Now for YOUR COVID Vaccination

Dear VA Portland Veteran:

We are pleased to offer you the COVID vaccination!

We are using a new online reservation system that we hope will allow many more eligible Veterans to be scheduled without delay.   We have expanded our online schedule, and now have appointment slots available on both the Portland and Vancouver campuses, March 18^th & 19^th and the 20^th in Portland only.

We have also expanded availability on March 25^th & 26^th, to select these dates, please use this online reservation system.

If you do not wish to receive a COVID vaccination or have already received the vaccine in the community, please send a Secure Message to your Primary Care team notifying them you wish to decline receiving the vaccine from VA Portland.

If appointments are all taken when you are signing up...

• Our Vancouver location has more appointments slots available, as well as easy parking.
• Keep checking your email - we will be offering both the Moderna & Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines and will be sending out emails frequently with new appointment slots.

This service is available now BY INVITATION ONLY to Veterans 45 years or older, and other identified Veterans with one or more high risk conditions as defined by the CDC who are ENROLLED for care with VA Portland Health Care System.  Do not forward this message to friends or family; if they sign up they will be turned away when they arrive.

Our schedulers are actively calling eligible Veterans by phone to make vaccination appointments.  If you have not already received a phone call and scheduled your vaccination, we invite you to try the online reservation tool for March 18th, 19th & 20th or the online reservation tool for March 25^th & 26^th to sign up for your first shot.

A few other things to be aware of:

• VA Portland will have the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine on these dates, which requires two doses.
• The second dose is due 21 days (+/- 4 days) after your first shot and will be scheduled when you arrive for your first vaccination appointment.  
• If you will not be available in 3 weeks, do not sign up now for your first dose.  There will be other opportunities.

• You should NOT sign up to be vaccinated if:
• You have had a major allergic reaction to other vaccines or any ingredient of this vaccine, including polyethylene glycol (PEG)0 or polysorbate, or 
• You have received another immunization in the last 14 days.

• The CDC DOES recommend vaccination for almost everyone else, including people who have had other types of allergic reactions (e.g., to food, pets, venom, latex, or oral medications).  If you are immunocompromised or have an autoimmune condition, or you are pregnant, please refer to this link and consider talking to your provider prior to vaccination if you have any questions: Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines | CDC

On the day of your vaccination:

• Do not come to the vaccine clinic if you have a fever, cough, or are otherwise feeling ill.  Please cancel your appointment, and we will work with you to reschedule it.
• Please arrive 5 minutes early to your appointment, not sooner.  If you arrive earlier, please stay in your car until your appointment time.  This will help us keep the clinic from becoming overcrowded.
• You will be required to wear a mask and maintain social distancing during your vaccination visit.  If a caregiver accompanies you, they should stay in the car during your visit unless you absolutely cannot manage without them.
• You will be observed for at least 15 minutes after your vaccination to ensure you don't have a reaction to it.  The risk of a serious reaction appears to be very low - approximately 1 in 100,000.

Thank you for your service!

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Click here to reserve your vaccination appointment for March 18^th, 19^th & 20th.

Click here to reserve your vaccination appointment for March 25^th & 26^th.

Instructions:

1. Choose the location you prefer (Portland or Vancouver).
2. Ensure the date is highlighted on the calendar and select your preferred time. If you see no available appointments, this means all slots have already been taken. 
3. Enter your:
1. FULL NAME
2. Email address
3. Phone number

Please double check for typos, paying special attention to your email address. 

1. You will receive an email confirmation. There is an option to cancel or reschedule on the confirmation email.  You will not be able to cancel or reschedule after 11am the day before your scheduled appointment.
2. Do not reply to the confirmation email; it will not be monitored.

Additional information:

VA Portland Health Care System

CDC vaccine fact sheet

Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine info

Moderna vaccine info

What to expect after getting the vaccine

Portland campus location, map, and directions

Vancouver campus location, map, and directions

How to enroll for VA care